Dianthus plant named ‘A12231-0’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named, ‘A12231-0’, that is characterized by its flowers that are pink in color with a white center, its floriferous blooming habit and its compact plant habit that is suitable for groundcover use.

Botanical classification: Dianthus gratianopolitanus.

Variety denomination: ‘A12231-0’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applicationfiled for a plant derived from the same breeding program that isentitled Dianthus Plant Named ‘A12228-0’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 15/998,814).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of aninterspecific hybrid Dianthus plant, known as Dianthus ‘A12231-0’ andwill be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘A12231-0’. Thenew cultivar represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscapeuse.

The new cultivar arose from an ongoing breeding program in De Lier, TheNetherlands with the goal of developing new cultivars of Dianthus withcompact plant habits and prolific flowering in a range of flower colors.‘A12231-0’ originated as a seedling that arose from seed planted fromopen pollination of ‘Dianturi Twinkle’ (not patented). ‘A12231-0’ wasselected as a single unique plant in April of 2015 from amongst theresulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished usingstem cuttings in April of 2015 in De Lier, The Netherlands. Asexualpropagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics ofthe new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘A12231-0’ as a unique and distinct cultivar ofDianthus.

-   -   1. ‘A12231-0’ exhibits flowers that are pink in color with a        white center.    -   2. ‘A12231-0’ exhibits a prolific blooming habit.    -   3. ‘A12231-0’ exhibits a compact plant habit; suitable as a        groundcover.

The parent plant, ‘Dianturi Twinkle’, differs from ‘A12231-0’ in havinga less compact plant habit with a less prolific blooming habit.‘A12231-0’ can be most closely compared to the Dianthus cultivars‘Kahori’ (not patented) and ‘A12228-0’. ‘Kahori’ differs from ‘A12231-0’in having flowers that are duller pink in color with flower petals thatare less overlapping. ‘A12228-0’ is similar to ‘A12231-0’ in having acompact plant habit, a prolific blooming habit, and pink flowers butdiffers from ‘A12231-0’ in being even more compact with a shorter heightand in having flower centers that are whiter in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Dianthus. The photographs in thefigures were taken of a plant one year in age as grown in a greenhousein a 17-cm container in De Lier, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘A12231-0’in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of‘A12231-0’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up of the foliage of‘A12231-0’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in thedetailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the newDianthus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of plants about 1-year-in-age asgrown as grown in a greenhouse in 17-cm containers in De Lier, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with the 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms continuously from spring to late            summer in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Broadly spreading to spreading-upright.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 10.5 cm in height to top of            foliar, 11 cm in height to top of floral plane, 28 cm in            diameter.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine.        -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.        -   Root initiation.—Average of 4 weeks.        -   Root development.—12 to 14 weeks to finish as a young plant            from a rooted cutting.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to high.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Held in multiple angles.        -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem size.—An average of 9.7 cm in height, 1 mm in diameter.        -   Stem color.—Young stems 145B, mature stems 199A to 199B.        -   Stem surface.—Matte.        -   Branching habit.—An average of 12 basal stems and 40 lateral            stems per basal stem.        -   Internode length.—Average of 2 mm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Oblanceolate, very slightly carinate, very            slightly curved.        -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, color; upper surface NN137A, lower            surface 144A.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces glabrous, smooth and matte.        -   Leaf number.—An average of 12 (6 pairs) per lateral branch.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 137A, young lower surface;            between 137A and 146B, mature upper surface; NN137A, mature            lower surface; 146B.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 3.2 cm in length and 3.5 mm in            width.        -   Foliage fragrance.—None.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal solitary flowers.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 10 days, self-cleaning.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, typical Dianthus scent.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Average of 65 per plant.        -   Flower type.—Rotate and solitary.        -   Flower size.—An average of 2.4 cm in diameter and 2.1 cm in            length.        -   Flower buds.—An average of 7 mm in length and 3 mm in width,            elliptic in shape, glabrous, smooth and very slightly glossy            surface, color; N138B, base 144B, apex tinged with 181D.        -   Peduncle.—An average of 5 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,            139D in color, smooth, glabrous and slightly glossy surface,            held straight on top of flower stem, moderately strong in            strength.        -   Pedicel.—Not present.        -   Petals.—5, rotate, 1 whorl, spathulate in shape, margins            irregular dentate, lower half entire, medium undulation,            apex irregularly toothed and praemorse, cuneate base, both            surfaces velvety, glabrous, slightly velvety, matte, an            average of 2.3 cm in length and 1.2 cm in width, color;            upper surface when opening 67A, veins 64B, base 145B to            145C, lower surface when opening 63C, veins 63C, base 145B            to 145C, upper surface fully open 67A with 155A near petal            base and 145B to 145C at very base, lower surface fully open            between 63C and 70C, base 145B to 145C, upper surface            venation MB, lower surface venation 70C.        -   Calyx.—Rotate, campanulate in shape, an average of 1.3 cm in            length and 4.5 mm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—5, rotate, 1 whorl, oblong in shape, entire margin,            acute apex, fused base (lower 55% fused into a campanulate            shape), an average of 1.1 cm in length and 2 mm in width,            smooth, glabrous, matte surface, color; when opening upper            surface 144B, apex 144A, when opening lower surface 137B,            base 144B, fully open upper surface 144B, towards the apex            144A, fully open lower surface 137B, base 144B.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—2 pistils; an average of 1.7 cm in length, style;            NN155D in color, 1.5 cm in length, an average of 1.7 cm in            length, stigma; pointed, curved, 150D in color, ovary; 145A            in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 10, filament; NN155D in color, an            average of 1.4 cm in length, anthers; N170D in color, narrow            elliptic, dorsifixed in shape, an average of 1 mm in length,            0.5 mm in width, pollen; low in quantity, 155A in color.        -   Fruit and seed.—Not observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant named‘A12231-0’ as herein illustrated and described.